The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-07-15

be was 50 utterly unframed IN the ways
Of the school room that every motion was
8 blunder.
And yet, in his own sphere, Jim had a
skill they never dreamed of. His grace
and accuracy with horse and gun and
iariat would have been a marvel TO any
man in that city. Perhaps he felt his
/ present inferiority even more than his
teacher did Perhaps the days were
YEARLY long To him, and the year seemed
endless in prospect.
Miss Allen had planned a school picnic
/ for Saturday. and on Friday the children
were full Of excitement about it. One
Of them told her that Jim wasn't going.
A; first She was rather relieved to hear it.
but when she entered the school-room she
was touched by the homesick look on the
boys face
james, said she. kindly, 81 am
afraid cur life here does not seem quite
natural to YOU
Pm afraid not" answered James,
dryly; and then added, with burst OF
confidence: why. Miss Allen, in all
this week haint seen nor heard but Just
one thing that seemed natural to me, and
that was the story you was a-readin' US
about that old ranchman that pastured on
the Government land
WHAT cried his teacher, in blank
establishment
That had such big bunch of sons,
you know; and they was his cowboys
But i haven't read any such story"
said Miss Allen.
why, yes, don't you rememberi" said
Jim. And one day, when they was off
on the range, the old man sent the little
hid out from the home ranch TO look EN-
up. and fiEd out how they was.
No. said the young lady; Il never
read you story like that
Perhaps you don't remember" said
Jim, ''but do, because it seemed natur-
al. And the kid went on, and got where
he thought they was; and he found they
had moved the whole bunch on TO anoth-
er range And when he did find them,
they chueked the little kid into a big
wash-out, and then pulled him out and
sold him to the Indians. y
"James,'
That's what YOU said" continued
jim, respectful but positive. Il don't
remember what the book called EN-, but
YOU said they was the same as the Araps
in the geography. That's what We call
the Arapahoes.n
The Arabs - exclaimed Miss Allen.
1T is possible that YOU mean the story of
Joseph and his brethren?7
That it answered Jim. 81 couldn't
think Of the name. Poor little kid We
wouldn't treat no little kid that way
That part wasn't natural
Miss Alien did not know how exactly
the present life on the great plains is rep
resented by some passages of the Old
Testament. She concluded to postpone
the matter of Biblical exegesis, and said,
checrfully: you viii get used to us in
time. hope. James,
II don't know, said Jim, rather dole
fully. when fellows been 2 maverick
long as have, il comes rather rough to
be rounded-up and roped and branded,
even if they do put him into nice little
corral like this. And then, an old ranger
like me hates TO trot along with the
calves
Miss Allen did not understand this
speech very well, but she felt that her
new pupil was homesick and lonely, and,
like the good little woman that she was,
she spoke so kindly that her simple
words went straight TO the boys heart
He replied only thank yOu," but she
was astonished TO see that the tears
flashed into his eyes as he spoke.
Wiiha new interest in him, she said
sincerely and cordially: Il hope you
will 90 to the picnic tomorrow, James
You will like TO see something of the
country, think.
''I'll come if you want me- said
Jim.
--Tii11 U5TTnltffy- be sure, II was i
wild and picturesque little spot, but after
all there were only few acres of land,
set of by the city for public recreation.
The river runs by Gray's Park, playing
with pebbles and trailing willow
branches like peaceful country river;
but little farther down the stream it
plunges with a mighty hustle and roar of
business down great dam. Here are
clustered the city mills, and in the
quictest part of Gray's Park you can
hear the whir-r-r of machinery mingled
with the noises Of the streets.
The picnic was like other school-pic- I
mics. The children ran and shouted,
brought Miss Allen a wonderful collec- I
ton Of flowers and leaves and pebbles,
ate too much dinner. got their feet wet,
and found a mud-turtlc.
II was almost time TO 90 home. Miss I
Allen had repaeked the lunch baskets, /
and Jim had taken down the swing, I
though he climbed rather awkwar1ly, I
and declared that he ssfelt like a tender
foo; in tree
He lay by the waters edge, coiling the .
rope upon his left arm, and handling it .
rather wistfully. Jim could do wonder /
ful things with a rope. If he had been
alone he would have tried few of his .
old throws, although lie might have
found it rather tame practice, on foot,
instead of on horseback. and with an oh .
stump for target, instead of a gallop-
ing steer.
Miss Allen sat near him, on a rustic
seat made Of a twisted hemlock tree.
Jim had come to like his teacher, and
to want TO please her, and he knew that
his cowboy accomplishments made her
rather uneasy In fact. the young lady
thought Of the plainsman's life as an
acted sensation novel
This is pretty place, isn't IT." she
said.
Yes answered Jim, rather doubt
fully; "but ii seems shut in, sort of
There amt no stirring in these parts, and
the trees is in the way a good deal. You
can't see much
But the rocks and the river, you like
them, do you noti'
Il don't ike the river much, either;
m afraid Of the water"
But thought you were afraid of
II don't like the water,
though, said jim. 81 never could sec
the use Of as much as you Eastern folks
have lyin' about. You could't hire me
to get into boat"
81 should not try, just here replied
the lady, smiling at looks quiet. but
the current is very dangerous. Just a
little further down, they say that no man
could manage boat
Would ne 60 over the dami7 he
asked.
Yes. and be dashed 10 pieces on the
rocks beneath This is not a good boat
ing river There Is 4 stretch of mile or
%. above this. where small craft can go,